Obama and (climate) change: Indian edition

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The U.S. launched this week a historic program to advance clean energy in India—where simply moving the 40 percent of the South Asian nation’s citizens who still burn coal, dung or wood to electricity could deliver major improvements for development, clean air and climate. Last week, it was a similar historic program to advance clean energy with China as well as a shared commitment to meaningful steps as part of the upcoming Copenhagen climate talks. And, to top it off, Obama has announced plans to swing by the talks on Dec. 9 as well as to publicly commit to U.S. emission reductions "in the range of 17 percent below 2005 levels in 2020 and ultimately in line with final U.S. energy and climate legislation."

"Based on progress made in recent, constructive discussions with China and India’s Leaders, the President believes it is possible to reach a meaningful agreement in Copenhagen," according to a prepared statement from the White House. "The President’s decision to go is a sign of his continuing commitment and leadership to find a global solution to the global threat of climate change, and to lay the foundation for a new, sustainable and prosperous clean energy future."

"India is important to the energy and climate change problem for several reasons," said U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu during a visit to the country this month. For one, "eighty percent of the infrastructure in India has yet to be built. What we have today and what we are going to have by 2030. So this is an incredible opportunity for India to build its buildings, its cities, its highways, its infrastructure, its transportation in the most energy efficient way possible."

Further, the President outlined his vision for pending climate legislation in the U.S. this week—in addition to the target of reducing emissions to 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020 (a goal already half-achieved thanks to the Great Recession and other factors), a 30 percent reduction by 2025, 42 percent by 2030 and, ultimately, an 83 percent cut by mid-century.

"The U.S. commitment to specific, mid-term emission cut targets and China’s commitment to specific action on energy efficiency can unlock two of the last doors to a comprehensive agreement," said Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, of the chances for a global agreement in Copenhagen.

India has plans for 470 gigawatts of nuclear power. Wind and solar will be a tiny fraction of that. There are looking to buy as many as 6 American AP-1000′s.

This country is the leader in the global warming war.

The US could use 2500 gigwatts of nukes but is crippled by inefficient private power companies, a biased Nuclear Rejection Commission and corrupt and litigious political and legal systems, quadrupling nuclear costs and time frames.

Scientific Earthling: Mao killed between 30 to 50 million Chinese citizens and in draconian style enforced a one child policy that resulted in babies, especially the female kind, being killed. China is already starting to see the ill effects of screwing around with its population growth fundamentals and by 2050 will not have a work force left but huge retirement social net problems. India has one of the best working democracies in the world. Hitler also did a great job in population control

China has indicated it would intend to lower its output of CO2 by 17% adjusted for economic growth over the period in question. In other words they plan to triple their economy but take 17% off the top in carbon savings. LMFAO.

Biello,
You did it again!
Every time you write a dumb article, most people get "annoyed" and it shows on the comments.
Also…I don’t think what you wrote it accurate.
I can’t understand why anyone would pay you to write.

D Wolfe:
The current crises in world climate is principally driven by world population numbers. A myopic world society blames power generation and transportation as the principal drivers, it closes its eyes to habitat destruction.

Deforestation reduces the planets ability to convert solar energy to sugar and causes it to heat up the planet instead.

The nation you credit as being the worlds best working democracy is one of the most corrupt places on earth.

China has successfully controlled her population growth, and now works towards reducing her human footprint.

Hitler opened our eyes to our ability to do harm, and his actions resulted in controlling the European population.

It is not the morality of the action that matters, it is the result. A morally right society that does not act to prevent its extinction is a stupid society. At the end of the day there is no overseeing intelligent entity that controls the universe.

But China will only do that 17% if the USA agrees to pay China hundreds of billions of dollars to do it. Since China has shining mountains of our money already this seems like trying to get the last drop of blood out of a turnip.

Let us all remind the construction and implementation of summertime. Or light saving time.By manipulating the clock we should save money.
BUT THIS DIFFERS IN TIME, PLACE AND GROUP.
So by now we should rethink this show.